Please come into my kitchen and discover this 'low carb fruit cake which is a great alternative to a traditional fruit cake.' It can be enjoyed at any time of year but could prove a popular low carb Christmas alternative.
... I gasped are there only ten more weekends to go before Christmas. I bet Santa is already busy with his elves getting all those presents ready for girls and boys all over the world!
Perhaps he may enjoy a slice of this cake, with a cup of tea. Although if there is any rum/brandy/gin left over he may prefer a small glass of that instead ...
For this lovely cake here are the ingredients you need:
170g Cranberries (dried)
½ cup Rum/brandy/gin
½ cup chopped Nuts (walnuts, Brazil)
1½ cups Almond meal
1 tbsp Natvia (or sweetener of your choice)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Mixed spice
½ tsp Baking soda
¼ cup Butter
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 tbsp Almond essence
4 Eggs
4 tbsp rum (extra)
Icing
½ cup Mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp Rum or brandy
How to make it:
Soak cranberries in rum (or other alcohol) for 1 hour. Mix dry ingredients (almond meal,spices, baking soda). Add cranberries and chopped nuts. Beat eggs and add melted butter, Natvia and essences and add to remaining mixture.
Pour mixture into a 20 cm greased cake time. Bake at 170 degrees C for about 20 minutes or until the cake is firm to touch and a knife inserted comes out clean. When you remove the cake from the oven, pour the remaining 4 tbsp rum over the hot cake.
When cake is cool, spread with icing (combined mascarpone cheese and rum).
Nutrition Information
Serves: 20
Serving size: 1
Calories: 139
Fat: 10.8g
Saturated fat: 3.2g
Carbohydrates: 5.4g
Serving size: 1
Calories: 139
Fat: 10.8g
Saturated fat: 3.2g
Carbohydrates: 5.4g
... and the conversation ends, Julia I think this is a lovely recipe.
Now my blogging friends you can see the original recipe idea here but what do you think, will you give it a try!
... and dare I ask have you started your Christmas Shopping yet?
All the best Jan
Post edit - although the original recipe states cook for 20 minutes, many find that 1hr 20 minutes is better, all ovens differ so please cook until the cake is firm to touch, and when a knife is inserted it comes out clean.
Post edit - although the original recipe states cook for 20 minutes, many find that 1hr 20 minutes is better, all ovens differ so please cook until the cake is firm to touch, and when a knife is inserted it comes out clean.
32 comments:
I always feel I'm missing out when I hear of people starting off their Christmas cakes but it's something we never have. We don't eat Christmas pudding or mince pies either. I know, we're a strange lot. I've picked up a few Christmas gifts throughout the year but I haven't made a proper start on the gift buying yet.
Only ten weekends? Help, but cake recipe does look nice.
Jenny S
Another winner Jan. Thank you and thank you also for visiting my blog. Your comments came through okay. I moderate them but don't always get to them as quickly as I would like as time gets away from me depending how busy I am. I have company coming in a couple of days and am busy preparing for them. Have a great weekend :)
looks like a great recipe, although i have never liked fruitcake!!!!! have a wonderful weekend!!!
Good morning, a cake that is low-carb sounds wonderful. Great recipe, thanks for sharing. Enjoy your weekend!
Hi Jan,
You remind me that it will soon be time to make my Christmas cake - I normally try baking it early so that will be one thing out of the way.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
I really like fruit cake. I copied the recipe. This would be wonderful with tea on cold November and December mornings. My sister likes fruit cake too so maybe I will make one up and give it to her.
Thank you for your comments.
Jo - hey, there is no written rule that says you have to have Christmas Cake or Mince Pies. Some may prefer a trifle, or just some fresh fruit and double cream!
Jenny - yes ten weekends, and I'm sure they will go too quickly.
Denise - glad you like the look of this cake recipe. Glad too that my comments did come through ok ... enjoy your company.
Debbie - glad you liked the look of the fruit cake (even if you don't like fruitcake LOL !)
Eileen - a slice of low carb cake can go very well with a cup of tea
Carolyn - yes, some folks do get very organised with Christmas preparations. So far I have bought one pack of Christmas Cards ... so a little more to do!
'R&L' - do hope you enjoy the recipe soon, and a great idea to make one for your sister
Thanks again for all your comments, it's always good to receive, read and share them.
Enjoy the rest of Sunday and best wishes for a good week next week.
All the best Jan
I actually kind of like fruitcake, and this recipe does sound yummy. But don't start reminding me about Christmas--I still have lots of gardening to finish up!:)
Rose - thank you for your comment. I know gardening keeps you busy ... but perhaps relax and enjoy a slice of cake!
All the best Jan
Interesting! How do you come up with the carb count?
I love the idea of the tradition of making a Christmas cake but it's just not something we like very much in our house.
Chocolate cake is more popular here.
Lisa x
Linda - thank you for your comment. When calculating the carb count you need to know the amount of carbs in the foods you are planning to eat. When Eddie was first diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes this is what we did. http://www.lowcarbdiabetic.co.uk/The%20Tool%20Kit.htm
"Calculating your carbohydrate intake
Only by knowing the amount of carbohydrate in each food you consume can you make a decision as to what foods you can leave in your daily diet. The cheapest and most cost effective way is to use ordinary kitchen scales, a calculator and calorie/carb. counting book."
For anyone interested in living the LCHF lifestyle whether you are diabetic or not you may find answers to any questions on the web-site, it can be found here http://www.lowcarbdiabetic.co.uk/
... so when Julia, who originated this lovely low carb fruit cake states the nutrition and carb count etc. It is all about knowing what is in the recipe and calculating. It always seems a bit daunting at first but is something you get used to and becomes second nature.
I hope this helps - but do ask more if you need to.
All the best Jan
Lisa - many thanks for your comment.
I think many prefer something like a chocolate log, or a trifle ... it is always about our own (and families) preferences, personal choice. I can remember my Gran absolutely adored Dundee Cakes and when we visited it just wouldn't have been Christmas without it ...
These days one recipe we also like is this one, a chocolate log made with almond flour which means not so many carbs which is great for those who prefer to eat less carbohydrates, it especially helps keep Eddie'e blood sugar numbers low which as a Type 2 diabetic is important.
http://www.jmcphee.com/2015/04/19/low-carb-chocolate-log/
All the best Jan
Looks like a good one. Cool beans.
I did start window xmas shopping and then a few days ago, when it was super warm (after our snow fall), I put xmas lights on the front tree outside. Then right after Halloween, I'll flip the switch and welcome xmas.
So much fun.
Ivy - thanks for your comment.
Well done for starting Christmas shopping. I actually bought my first present yesterday ... to add to a packet of Christmas Cards I bought back in May!! Still a lot more to do - but it's a start.
Yes, it will be countdown to Christmas right after Halloween ... where has the year gone to?
All the best Jan
Surely 20 minutes is nowhere near long enough for a fruit cake. A normal Christmas cake would be in the oven for about 2½ hours. I have this cake in the oven at the moment and after 20 minutes it is still a wet as when it went in. I have now added another hour but I've a feeling even that will not be enough. Should this say 2 hours or 2hours 20 minutes? Help needed fast or I am about to waste a lot of ingredients, thank you.
Paul
Hello Paul and thanks for your comment and question - which another team member authorized a while ago. I do hope that possibly in the meantime you may have had success with baking your low carb fruit cake. I certainly hope so and that your ingredients have not been wasted.
I see the original recipe does state 20 minutes ... and Julia's new link to her recipe, given below, still states 20 minutes, but would agree with you it would appear a longer cooking time is required.
http://www.jmcphee.com/2015/12/12/low-carb-fruit-cake-2/
Slightly different recipe here - but in a recently made Luxury Low carb nut Cake, I find the cooking time to be about 50 minutes, the recipe is here http://lowcarbdiabetic.co.uk/Recipes.htm (you will need to scroll down a little)
Low carb cooking / baking can be trial and error at times, as even low carb flours used can differ see here http://www.ditchthecarbs.com/2016/09/12/low-carb-flours/
Having said that I have been living the LCHF lifestyle for over eight years now and am so pleased I discovered this lifestyle.
Good luck with your baking
All the best Jan
Hi Jan
Thank you for your response. You may be interested to know that I found the extra hour to be about right at 170C for 1hr 20mins.
We have just tried it and it is delicious.
Thank you
Paul
Hello again Paul, and thank you for coming back and letting us know that at 170C 1 hour and 20 minutes worked well for this low carb fruit cake recipe ...
In the near future, I will re-list this recipe and include your suggestion ... which I'm sure will be helpful to many.
Thanks again, and so pleased you were able to enjoy a slice of low carb fruit cake!
All the best Jan
Hi, I know I'm a bit late to be making Xmas cake now but I am learning about calculating my carb intake. So am still interested in how the recipe gets to 5.4g of carbs per portion and 20 portions thus presumably 108g carbs in the whole cake, when it includes 170g of dried cranberries. Google search gives carbs in dried cranberries as 82/ 100 thus from the cranberries alone => over 139g of carbs. Am I doing the maths wrong or does soaking the cranberries in alcohol remove some carbs? This is not meant to be a negative comment, I'm just trying to understand.
Thanks
Carole
Only just seen this recipe but original post from your link has gone.
I found new link and will try out
Thanks Dee
http://www.jmcphee.com/2015/12/12/low-carb-fruit-cake-2/
Hello Carole
Many thanks for your comment and question.
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you, I will look further into this and reply soon...
All the best Jan
Dee - many thanks for the new link.
Posts and links can often change, so this is appreciated.
I've just checked it out, and it works a treat!
Thanks again
http://www.jmcphee.com/2015/12/12/low-carb-fruit-cake-2/
All the best Jan
Hello again Carole,
Cranberries can be a low carb delight ... as Laura Dolson writes "Cranberries are often in the health news – it seems they are good for almost everything! This is great for low carbers, because they pack a lot of nutrition, fiber, and flavor into a package without many carbohydrates. Half a cup of whole cranberries has 4 grams of effective carbohydrate, plus 2 grams of fiber, 1/3 of which is soluble (the soluble fiber is what makes the “gel” when you cook cranberries)." See here https://www.verywell.com/cranberry-extravaganza-2242510
Laura also has a section on dried cranberries you may find of interest - it is here
https://www.verywell.com/a-reader-inquires-what-about-craisins-2242509
I know many have tried this recipe and have been pleased with it, but as I state in my post, the original recipe idea is from Julia and can be found here
http://www.jmcphee.com/2015/12/12/low-carb-fruit-cake-2/
I am sure if you have any further queries with this recipe she will be only too pleased to help you.
There are so many excellent LCHF recipes around, which I hope you may enjoy.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on this post.
If you are looking for a low carb Christmas Pudding, you may wish to try this recipe http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-best-low-carb-christmas-pudding.html
All the best Jan
Hello again Dee
Can I just say thanks again for giving the new link, I have now embedded it in my original post.
With it being so close to Christmas, I take the opportunity to wish you (and all our readers) a Merry Christmas.
All the best Jan
Thank you.
If anyone would like help with weight/measurement conversion this link may help!
https://startcooking.com/measurement-and-conversion-charts
All the best Jan
Hi there -delighted to find this low carb Christmas cake recipe. Christmas cakes are a big tradition here. Just 2 questions . . if I may.
How far in advance can this cake be made & stored?
And, if it is being made/stored in advance, I expect the icing should not go on until later. . . so, how far in advance should it be iced?
Thank you in advance for your assistance,
G
Hello Vme
Many thanks for your comment and question.
You must remember that this is a low carb cake made differently from a traditional Christmas Cake... I would eat this within 2-3 days. Traditional fruit cakes are incredibly high in sugar which is self preserving hence why they can be stored for weeks and still be safe to eat. This Christmas cake is best stored in an airtight container and made soon before you need it.
Similarly the icing is a low carb alternative made by combining mascarpone cheese and rum, I would make it and put it on the cake shortly before eating it …
Hope this helps
All the best Jan
Interesting post and I enjoyed it. I have started some christmas baking. this week fruit cakes and a gluten free version for me-I liked the recipe you shared-just pinned it for later.
I think Christmas time makes many of us happy and we need happiness right now with the world being so crazed-so I say do what makes one happy right now-hugs Kathy
I'll try and bake this cake this Christmas.
Thanks Jan
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